Baby, It's Cold Inside
by superlc529
Summary: Jo's hosting her first Christmas party in a long time. Henry's the first to arrive. There's heavy snowfall and they end up being snowed-in together at her place. Henry Morgan and Jo Martinez alone together... What could happen?


A/N: I don't own Forever. Now that the authors are all revealed for this Forever Holiday Gift Fic Exchange Ficathon, I thought it'd be great to post mine here. :) My assignment was the ever amazing: pinkelephant5. Her prompt was: 'Henry gets snowed in somewhere with one or more people.' Hope you like it. :)

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Baby, It's Cold Inside

Snow drifted down to the quiet street below. Christmas carols filled the air. Jo Martinez bounced from the kitchen to her living room, carefully setting up food for her coming guests. A long breath escaped her lungs as she looked on the table at the assorted goods.

Four loud knocks rapped at the door. Jo opened it to be greeted by the familiar smiling face of Henry Morgan.

"Henry," Jo smiled and ushered him in.

"Good evening, Jo," Henry stepped inside and shook excess snow off his jacket as he took it off and hooked it up next to Jo's dry one.

"You're the first one to arrive," Jo was walking backwards into the living room, "Help yourself to a little something."

"Everything looks lovely," Henry complimented, helping himself to the veggie platter and crunched on a baby carrot.

"Really?" Jo looked unsure of herself – a stark contrast to the confident detective in the precinct. This was casual Jo. She disappeared back into the kitchen.

"Of course," Henry called after her, "The decorations are beautiful and everything looks delicious. You did a marvelous job, Detective."

Jo reentered the living room with two wine glasses threaded in one hand with a wine bottle in the other, "Can I offer you something to drink?"

"The wine you have there is just fine," Henry nodded to the wine bottle in her hand.

As Jo began to pour, Henry stepped next to her, "Abe extends his apologies: he might be a bit late. He had to finish up some work at the shop."

"That's okay," Jo handed Henry his glass, "I'm just glad you both said you would come."

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Henry nodded, "No amount of snow would deter me from coming tonight – your opening night."

"Opening night?" Jo wasn't following.

"Hanson let slip yesterday that this was the first party you've hosted since…" Henry let his sentence hang in the air.

"Yes," Jo took a deep breath, "Yes it is… but I think I'm ready. Ready to get back into the world. What better way than to host a Christmas party, right?"

Henry nodded.

"So while Hanson was gossiping, did he happen to say what time he was planning on getting here tonight?" Jo took a sip of her own wine.

"Just that he had to help with some last minute present wrapping, but he'd get here as soon as he could," Henry replied after finishing his own sip.

A ding from the kitchen broke the silence that built between the two, "That'd be the cookies… would you do me a favor while I get them?"

"Sure," Henry placed his glass down on the table.

"Could you grab some music and put it on?" Jo called over her shoulder, gesturing to her stereo on the other side of the room, as she disappeared once again.

"Any music?" Henry yelled back.

"Anything you think everybody would enjoy."

Cocking his head to the side, Henry perused Jo's music collection. There were plenty of modern artists ranging from Adele to Rihanna. He couldn't stop his smile when his eyes passed over some of the classics including Frank Sinatra.

He took out one of Frank Sinatra's albums _._ CD held with his pointer finger, he faced a problem – he had no idea how to play a CD.

"Jo?!" Henry turned around and almost ran into Jo.

"You having trouble choosing?" Jo asked.

"No, I found something, I just…" Henry was a bit embarrassed. Jo furrowed her brows and bounced her gaze from Henry's face to the CD to the player. After a moment, she understood.

"You don't know how to work the player, do you?" Jo couldn't help the smirk play on to her face.

Henry's slightly reddened cheeks and silence answered her question.

"Sometimes I forget you're not from my generation," Jo shook her head as she took the CD from his finger. She had been a keeper of Henry's immortality secret for quite a few months, but it still took a lot of getting used to; one doesn't become accustomed to their best friend being born in the eighteenth century easily, after all.

"You wouldn't happen to have anything on vinyl?" Henry looked hopeful. Records he could handle.

"I think I can dig some out," Jo grinned, "You're lucky that vintage is coming back in style."

"You live long enough and everything comes back eventually," Henry commented.

"Hopefully not the plague," Jo retorted as she dug further into her collection to uncover a couple of vinyl records of all the classic artists.

"I'm not _that_ old, Detective," Henry took the offered records. Jo responded with a single-shouldered shrug and a 'meh.'

The phone rang and Jo moved to answer it as Henry went to put on the record. Notes to _Let It Snow_ filled the air. Henry closed his eyes and subtly swayed to the music, letting the music envelope him.

"Henry?" Jo's voice brought him back to reality.

"That was Abe… he said they've issued a storm warning. It's starting to really come down out there," Jo went to the window and pulled the drapes to the side. Giant snowflakes flew by in every direction, "I don't think anybody else is coming. Maybe you should get back home while you can."

"Nonsense," Henry objected.

"You think someone else is gonna go out in this weather to come to my stupid little party?" Jo raised an eyebrow, not following.

"First of all, your little party is _not_ stupid," Henry explained, "And secondly, I was referring to my leaving… I'm perfectly content in staying here. I'm rather fond of the company, unless you wish for me to leave. If that's the case, I'd be more than happy to oblige."

"No, no, that's not what I meant," Jo placated with her hands up, "I didn't mean to imply you had to leave. I just… my first party in forever and a snowstorm stands in my way."

"Well, we can still make the most of your efforts," Henry moved to put his wine glass back down. He went over to the record player and turned the volume up as the starting notes to _Baby, It's Cold Outside_ began to play.

"That's fitting," Jo quipped as she came up next to Henry. His gaze drifted down to meet Jo's eyes. She looked absolutely breathtaking. She was wearing a red dress (for Christmas) that came down just below her knees and accentuated her figure.

"You look beautiful," Henry voiced his thoughts.

Jo's mouth opened slightly, not expecting the compliment, "Um, thank you, Henry."

"Would you care to dance?" Henry offered his hand.

"Why not?" Jo tilted her head to the side and placed her hand in his with a smile.

Henry led her to the middle of her living room. Jo had pushed her furniture off to the side to make room for the party, but it turned into a perfect dance floor. _Baby, It's Cold Outside_ ended and another song of Sinatra's started. Jo placed her hand on Henry's shoulder and he on her hip; they rejoined their hands in the air, as they started to slowly sway to the music.

As the music continued, they inched closer and Jo laid her head against Henry's chest, her arms around his waist and his around hers. He rested his chin on the top of her head as they swayed to the music. After a few moments, Jo could feel a small rumbling on the top of her head. Henry was singing along.

 _I'd tried so not to give in  
I said to myself this affair never will go so well  
But why should I try to resist when baby, I know so well  
I've got you under my skin_

"Didn't know you could sing," Jo commented into his chest. They parted only slightly so they could see one another, their hands not leaving each other.

"I don't get to as often as I'd like, but when the mood strikes, I've been known to carry a tune here and there," Henry replied.

Jo let out a slight shiver, "Is it just me or is it getting a little cold in here?"

"It's a little chilly, but we're near the window," Henry nodded next to them.

She stepped out of his grasp with her arms folded, trying to conserve heat, "No, Henry, I think the heating might've gone out… the power's on, but the heat went out."

After a quick glance at her thermostat, her fears were confirmed. Her heating had gone out, "Perfect."

"Perhaps we should try to get back to the shop. I'm sure Abe wouldn't mind if you spent the night, especially with your heating not working," Henry came up behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders. She was still staring at the blank thermostat.

"Maybe you're right," Jo nodded. They each grabbed their coats, and moved to leave, but as soon as they opened the door, they were greeted with a blanket of white. There was no way they were leaving, "Or maybe not."

Jo made a move to remove her coat, but Henry stopped her, "I think you should probably keep that on, Jo… Your heating's out, remember?"

"Yes, right," Jo shrugged her coat back on and zipped it back up.

"I'm going to call Abe and let him know I'm going to be staying here this evening," Henry told her and made his way over to the phone.

"Don't tell him about the heat," Jo stopped him from dialing just yet, "No reason to worry him."

Henry nodded and called his son.

* * *

"This coat is getting real uncomfortable real quick," Jo stated as she shifted on the couch. Henry was kneeling by the fireplace, getting a fire started. She thanked whatever heavens were out there that she and Sean had decided to get a place that even had one.

"There are other ways to keep warm," Henry stoked the fire he just set.

"Why, Doctor Morgan…" Jo teased.

Henry snapped his head around, eyes wide, "I-I… That's not… uh…"

"Relax, Henry, I'm just teasing," Jo grinned and his shoulders relaxed.

"You are right though," Henry came to sit next to her. The fire was slowly burning, casting their only source of light. In addition to the heating, Jo's lights soon followed, "Our coats aren't exactly ideal for sleeping comfort."

"We can use some extra blankets I have upstairs," Jo suggested.

"That's a good idea," Henry moved to get up, but Jo stopped him. She unzipped her coat and took it off, placing it on floor on the side of the couch, "You stay there, Henry. I'll go get them. Make yourself comfortable."

He gave her an imperceptible nod as she headed off to get the blankets. Slowly he took his coat off and laid it on top of Jo's on the floor. He shifted his scarf around his neck, grateful for his choice in fashion. He was tense. Why was he tense? Oh, that's right. He was about to be in very close proximity for the night with the object of his affections. Trying as he might, he couldn't deny that he was slowly falling in love with the homicide detective. Too bad she'd never feel the same way…

"Henry?" Jo brought him out of his thoughts, blanket in hand. She now had a sweater on over her dress. It looked odd, but at least it was warm.

"Hmm?"

"You okay? You looked like you were miles away," Jo sat next to him. She smoothed out the blanket in her lap and handed one end to Henry who took it gratefully over his own lap.

"Just thinking," Henry said. Jo leaned back on the couch, wrapping the blanket over her shoulders, snuggling into it.

She reached her hand out and gently massaged Henry's shoulder, "What about? Something from the past?"

"Yeah," Henry lied.

"What? Thinking about when civilization didn't have central heating?" Jo poked him. She took his silence as an affirmation. She closed her eyes, trying to get comfortable, "Do me a favor, Henry, and spare me the lecture about what life was like back then when there was no heating. We're reliving it tonight."

Henry let out a long sigh.

"Henry?"

He turned back to Jo. He was sitting up on the edge of the couch, soldier straight posture, his half of the blanket covering just his bottom half.

"You can lay back with me, you know," Jo tugged him back and brought his half of the blanket up to his chest, "There. See? Much more cozy."

Jo's eyes were closed, settling herself on Henry's shoulder. His eyes were fixed to her content expression. She was completely comfortable in his company, even with the cold. She had told him in the past he could talk to her about anything. After much reassurance from his son, he finally let her in on his biggest secret. He feared she'd shut him out, but she did the very opposite. Sure, she was a bit mad and hurt that he hadn't trusted her in the beginning, but when she learned more of his past, she grew to understand his hesitancy to let another person get close. But could he talk to her about this? About his developing feelings? Would she feel the same way? Would she want to? After Sean? They both had their own ghosts. He didn't know if he could go through losing her like he had with Abigail.

 _Tell her._

He could hear Abe's voice in his head. This time those two words were for an entirely different situation, and yet he equated the two circumstances. She accepted his immortality. She hadn't run off screaming in the other direction or committed him to an asylum. She had known for months and accepted him. Nothing had changed in their relationship. If anything, they had only grown closer. Truth be told, he knew that the weather wouldn't be the best tonight and he still made the trek over. He wanted – he _needed_ to be in her company.

 _Tell her._

"Jo?" Henry whispered into her hair.

"Hmm?" Jo snuggled closer to Henry, her head now resting on his chest. He moved his arm to wrap around her to accommodate the movement.

"Can I ask you something?" Henry rested his cheek against the top of her head and subconsciously rubbed his thumb against her blanket-clad shoulder.

"I'm warm enough," Jo's sleepy reply was half mumbled into his chest.

Henry let out a long sigh and a small smile. Content with her in his arms, he could feel her breathing fall into a steady rhythm, signaling she had fallen asleep. Closing his eyes, he soon joined her with two words falling from his lips.

"Love you."

THE END

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A/N: Hope I didn't get too sappy there at the end. Not sure if this is what you had in mind with a snowed-in story, Pinky. I was gonna have Abe and/or Hanson be stuck with them, but it just felt more natural for it to just be Henry and Jo. I do hope you (and everybody else who decided to read) enjoyed it. Please check out all the other stories in this collection over on AO3 if you can. They all are amazing gifts, I'm sure. :)

Please review and let me know what you guys thought about this one! :D


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